Lithe, supple, swimmer's physique. Tried that with SR already, no thanks. Superman is a strongman, who lifts heavy things, his physique should reflect weightlifting.

The guy in the right (Sandow) is a weightlifter, Arnold is a bodybuilder. The weightlifter trains for strength, by lifting heavy while the bodybuilder trains for muscle volume, using higher reps that promote fluid retention. Weightlifters maintain natural proportions from doing compound exercises, while bodybuilders don't because they isolate individual muscle groups.

Fortunately Snyder's a gym rat who knows the difference.

I'm not too worried about the actor who gets cast getting too muscular. Arnold took years, and steroids (which he has admitted) to get as large as he eventually got, and modern IFBB Pros have spent even more time developing the obscene size they walk around with every day.

The actor, who ever it is, when he gets cast will likely have 4-6 months at best to get in shape, and that will involve adding the most muscle they can in the shortest time period, so likely they will hire a bodybuilder to train them.

Doing heavy compound movements like bench Presses, Squats, and Deadlifts as well as a few other exercises to hit parts those do not target as well, combined with a careful diet to add muscle, but limit or even lose bodyfat. – that is kind of an oversimplification, I admit, but basically what needs to happen. That is also the standard set by guys like Hugh Jackman, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth now too.

The net result should be a build that looks very strong and muscular, but certainly not a freak.

Eugene Sandow’s build is an excellent example. He looked strong and muscular, but not a freak.

Clint Walker is another one who’s build I always thought was perfect for Superman. Its hard to tell how ripped he was, as he did not shave off his body hair, or get oiled up, but he had a great build none the less.

As for Superman having a really strong build, even though Superman does not lift weights, is the reason elgaz gave: Superman is the product of Genetic perfection, of an Alien race.

So, that is why I feel he should look as muscular as possible, while not crossing the line into looking like a superheavyweight bodybuilder as Clark in a suit.

The build Joe Manganiello as, as elgaz pointed out above is another such example.

I don't understand why people claim Superman doesn't lift weights. All he does is lift weights; cars, trains, tanks, ships, boulders, islands. He one rep loads all the time, and hasn't had effortless super-strength since the Silver Age.

I don't understand why people claim Superman doesn't lift weights. All he does is lift weights; cars, trains, tanks, ships, boulders, islands. He one rep loads all the time, and hasn't had effortless super-strength since the Silver Age.

That is a good point.

Even if the feats of strength would not be every day, or very consistent basis, as it needs to be in a human who lifts weights to gain muscle, Superman would still gain some muscle.

My reasoning is this, every time a healthy human lifts weights, or exerts a high degree of muscular force, their body will adapt by adding a small degree of muscle.

If it is infrequent exertion, then any small amount of muscle gain they grew will atrophy away before it would build up into noticeable results.-That is on a human however.

Humans who are all susceptible to muscular atrophy.

Superman should be 100% immune to the effects of atrophy, like he is any other health problem.

Therefor, if every time he exerts himself his body gains a tiny amount of muscle, it never atrophies away, and eventually builds up.

I don't understand why people claim Superman doesn't lift weights. All he does is lift weights; cars, trains, tanks, ships, boulders, islands. He one rep loads all the time, and hasn't had effortless super-strength since the Silver Age.

True, but his strength is a direct result of an outside source while he's on Earth. Even as a teen, he can do almost the same things. It's similar to fighters that train in water, the water adds the resistance so that when they throw a punch outside of it, it heightens the strength behind it. Krypton's gravity was the water, and outside of it, in conjunction with the sun, Clark has these heightened abilities.

Lifting tanks, ships, boulders etc., wouldn't constitute much muscle gain because these things are relatively effortless to begin with, much like your Earth speed has nothing to do with your speed on the Moon, no matter how much you train on the Moon itself to become faster.

__________________"I don't give a **** what you say. If I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, 'Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations,' Well, **** you. Because I don't play for your ******* approval. I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. That's what I play for."-Kobe Bryant
"As of right now, I don't know what he do good, cause what may work on another fighter is not gonna work on me." - Floyd Mayweather

You mean, his disproportionate super strength is a result of Earth's environment. His strength is the result of physiology just like ours. It isn't magic, Superman is as proportionately stronger than he was when he was a boy, as most human males are who maintain an active lifestyle, more so if their vocation requires it.

Your Krypton gravity analogy is all wrong. Krypton's gravity isn't the water, fighters who don't train, atrophy over time. Superman never walked on Krypton, never got in the pool, therefore, never adapted to it. Kryptonians physical structure (bone/sinew/muscle) increased in density in order to adapt to the gravity of Krypton. Supercharged with solar radiation or no, he lifts weights just like the rest of us and his physiology is a result of his ancestors adapting to their environment, just like us.

Just about every incarnation of Superman at least mentions time as a child spent on the farm or an abandoned quarry, practicing his powers. This would involve testing his strength, all human children do at play, no reason to think he wouldn't either. Like Milo lifting the calf every day until it became a bull, young Clark would be conditioning himself with boulders and root stumps.

Your argument is better suited to explain why Clark doesn't have a Superheavyweight bodybuilder physique. He can only force so much adaptation, can only test his strength so much. While lifting cars and tanks may be easy, I don't imagine balancing the load in his grip is. This kind of isometric work would always stimulate his physiology, same as the combat he engages in with other beings on comparable power levels.

As long as he pushes his own relative physical limits, through his weightlifting and pugilist activities, his physique should reflect it. Strong neck, squared shoulders, Tapered V back to a slim waist. If a kryptonian lived a couch potato lifestyle on Earth, they would end up even fatter than we do, they would have to be a superhero just to keep in shape. No other way to burn the excess calories.

You mean, his disproportionate super strength is a result of Earth's environment. His strength is the result of physiology just like ours. It isn't magic, Superman is as proportionately stronger than he was when he was a boy, as most human males are who maintain an active lifestyle, more so if their vocation requires it.

Your Krypton gravity analogy is all wrong. Krypton's gravity isn't the water, fighters who don't train, atrophy over time. Superman never walked on Krypton, never got in the pool, therefore, never adapted to it. Kryptonians physical structure (bone/sinew/muscle) increased in density in order to adapt to the gravity of Krypton. Supercharged with solar radiation or no, he lifts weights just like the rest of us and his physiology is a result of his ancestors adapting to their environment, just like us.

Just about every incarnation of Superman at least mentions time as a child spent on the farm or an abandoned quarry, practicing his powers. This would involve testing his strength, all human children do at play, no reason to think he wouldn't either. Like Milo lifting the calf every day until it became a bull, young Clark would be conditioning himself with boulders and root stumps.

Your argument is better suited to explain why Clark doesn't have a Superheavyweight bodybuilder physique. He can only force so much adaptation, can only test his strength so much. While lifting cars and tanks may be easy, I don't imagine balancing the load in his grip is. This kind of isometric work would always stimulate his physiology, same as the combat he engages in with other beings on comparable power levels.

As long as he pushes his own relative physical limits, through his weightlifting and pugilist activities, his physique should reflect it. Strong neck, squared shoulders, Tapered V back to a slim waist. If a kryptonian lived a couch potato lifestyle on Earth, they would end up even fatter than we do, they would have to be a superhero just to keep in shape. No other way to burn the excess calories.

That's precisely what my argument was, when I quoted your original post about Superman not lifting weights, I assumed you were referring to his lifting objects contributing to his overall physical appearance. I'm saying that he wouldn't be stressing himself to the point that he's building a Mr. Olympia-like physique because it's coming from an outside source beyond sheer muscle. Your basically saying the same thing I am, that he shouldn't look like a bodybuilder, but the difference is I wouldn't mind the leaner look because I don't feel he would be exerting himself to the point where he gained much in the way of muscle mass in any situation

Muscles grow from the atrophy and subsequent rebuilding, as you already pointed out. That tissue breakdown is coming from overexertion, and in almost every iteration of the character, he's incredibly strong from the point he touches down in Smallville, in comparison to humans, so I don't see the overworking of the muscles being that consistent to even warrant a significant change. It's not like he's lifting mountains for reps every other day, when the situation calls for it, he does it, but it's not a regimented routine that's going to steadily increase his mass. One day he might be lifting a building to save someone, the next day he could be pulling a train, it's never the same catastrophe, so it would never be the same exact stress hitting a targeted muscle group sufficiently enough to stimulate consistent, symmetrical growth that a Bodybuilder achieves doing the same exercises for a set amount of time. And while weightlifters tend to do low-rep high intensity exercises (which I think your implying Superman would be doing by fighting crime) I think that would still be insufficient because his strength limits aren't as easily reached, consistently enough once again, to require the muscle breakdown necessary

__________________"I don't give a **** what you say. If I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, 'Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations,' Well, **** you. Because I don't play for your ******* approval. I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. That's what I play for."-Kobe Bryant
"As of right now, I don't know what he do good, cause what may work on another fighter is not gonna work on me." - Floyd Mayweather

He should look impressive physically but not of over the top. Brandon Routh's natural physique now or that of Tom Welling both work for Superman. He shouldn't look like a body builder but like a well developed athletic build. Otherwise you'd have to explain why Supergirl doesn't look like a female bodybuilder or why the phantom zoners like zod don't all look like they came from Dragon Ball Z. HE should have a solid build but his strength is not result of his muscles it's a Super power, maybe not magic but pretty close. Like Jim from no ordinary family or the kid from Sky High. He doesn't need visibly super muscles to be Superman no more than he needs literal wings to fly. Those are simply his powers.

even vin diesel in a suit can hide, size is easy to hide with camera work and a suit, so the bigger the better, and alex ross never draws clark kent as a little guy either, and even if clark stands with his stomach out or chest caved in, whatever, a slouch and a suit hides size very well so the bigger the better

the bigger the better but if they would film the scenes as clark first and then the superman scenes towards the end of filming that might be even better like martin scorcese did with cape fear so deniro could get as big as possible

If there is one thing I want the next Superman to have, something that every incarnation of a LIVE action Superman has missed is a big barrel chest. I know that Brandon worked hard & looked good but his chest was almost non existant in that suit & this time I want a Superman that looks imposing, not like someone I could beat up in a dark alley.

Steve

__________________"Superman was a beacon to the world. He didn't just save people, he made them see the best parts of themselves"

yea, other than the rubber feet but that build is fine, the bigger he is the better, unless you're a complete bodybuilder, you will usually look just fine in a suit, especially one tailored to fit you by the film crew... so the bigger they can get the actor the better... bale looked fine in his suit in batman begins, and he was pretty big

Chris is way too cut for Superman - just look at his waist line and legs! He isn't beefy at all. There is no harm having body fat around the muscle, sure you lose definition, but in that you gain size! That is also considered more old school - like clint walker!! But it's down to personal preference - i'm not saying i prefer an Alex Ross look, but a farm boy shouldn't be lean.